Seeking advice - 2008/06/02 12:40So basically, I have vacation time that I can use when I want and I'd like to take 2 weeks off to finally experience surfing.

I'll admit that I have zero experience. As far as I'm concerned, the path to enlightenment lies beyond the admission of ignorance. Hence, I'd like to know if anyone has suggestions as to where I could learn surfing and at the same time experience a vacation far away from home (Montreal). Don't know if I'd go halfway across the world but I'm open to possibilities.

I read about a surf school in Costa Rica, (http://schooloftheworld.org/) does anyone know if it's worth it or not?

Any advice would be appreciated.

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defcon4
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Re:Seeking advice - 2008/06/02 18:16A surf school may be a good way to start- don't know as I never tried a school - but I would recommend finding a surf spot that is more like a beginners ski-slope - if you just paddle out at a random beach break, you'll probably get bashed around. One of the best places I have seen for learning is Cerro Azul, about 130km south of Lima. there is no surf school, so you'll need your own board - and the water is colder than CostaRica - but nothing a 3/2 wetsuit can't handle. The advantage is that you can pretty much wade into the point, and get set up for the waves (if the point is too crowded, look for waves reforming on the inside). The waves are gentle and slow - once up on a long board you have time to get used to the board as the wave is long...

Just remember when learning that you board is (a) safety, as it floats, and (b) dangerous because it can hit you or other surfers... so when trying to catch waves - keep your board under control, and don't get in the way of other surfers - especially those already on a wave...

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Levittation
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Re:Seeking advice - 2008/06/17 02:25Maine why not you wont be in anyone's way and if you learn to ride waves and survive you may actually BE a surfer of course you might want to pamper yourself and go to rica but you wont be much more than shit in the way and that wont make you a surfer that will make you an wanna be surfer enjoying sunshine thinking about the beach boi's or whatever.Of course theres always Hawaii and if you don't get your head pounded in you might be in the hui but then again you might just like the pork and pine apples then maybe you not a surfer at all but at least the Hawaiians will get to share your wife on vacation and maybe then you will actually keep your wife or girlfriend and stop thinking about why surfing is better than ping pong.

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Kewalos
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Re:Seeking advice - 2008/06/23 05:44Wow, nice advice you gave to this poor guy who is just wants to surf. How did you become Mr. Hardcore regulator? Your such a tough guy Levi-titt, Please come out here to Hawaii again so we can fuck your wife and pound your pink haole face into the ground. Come on out brah, I bet you have to use SPF 80 to go outside and surf for an hour. Did you get picked on last time you were here? What happened, we nevah give you no waves? Did you sit in the channel shitting yourself, too scared to paddle into the pack? We love seeing you "just off the jet" haole euro fags, trying to act like your cool enough to fit in and catch waves. Levi-titt, your nothing but a bitter, angry haole kook. I know you didnt act up while you were out here, you were practicing your best "aloha" for us out here , because your still breathing. So why do you act up on everyone else? Too bad you didnt take some "aloha" back with you pinky. Levi-twitt, your soooo hardcore......you probably ride a funshape.....

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Marcus
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Re:Seeking advice - 2008/06/24 07:33From Montreal?

I'd head south. Maine and the NENG are going to be a disappointment unless you can time your trip with a hurricane pulse. Try the Carolinas OBX or Central Florida. That's not too far and they get pretty consistant but small surf. However, summer is the worst time of year. Winter is more consistant. Need a springy in the winter. Trunks are fine in the summer.

PR is probably okay too, but again, winter is gonna be your best bet for waves. Plus PR might be too much for you. You can skin it year round.

Summer in HI is nice. The South Shore of Oahu is playful with something rideable most any day and plenty of kooks on big soft boards to hide in. Kauai is quieter but a little less friendly than Wacky Beach. You can always go snorkle on the Nshore when town is flat. Again, skin it year round. If you go in the winter it's a waste since you'll only be able to surf wrap in town anyway. Maybe crowds would be smaller.

SoCal is another option. Summer is generally flat, but there's always a teeny-weenie windswell or background southern hemi pulse, and that's what you want as a beginner. Just north of San Diego is your best bet. You can sometimes trunk it in the summer. Need at least a 3/2 in wintertime. More bigger surf in winter. Sometimes summer brings in big SW bombies, but you can usually find a NW facing beach that is getting itty-bitty wraparound.

Costa Rica is a great summer destination--or Baja--but that's for when you are a decent surfer. Don't start there.

I'd skip the camp and learn on your own. Rent a board and hit it every day. If you get discouraged then it's probably not for you. Camps artifically insulate you from the "I suck at this" stage, and churn out a lot of Barneys and posers who will never be even decent (or have much fun) because they just don't like it enough.

If you hate it, build sand castles and go swimming. Hit the bars with the money you saved skipping the surf camp. Surfing's not for everyone.

Those are my suggestions for your hemisphere or maybe quarter-sphere.

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waterman_75
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Re:Seeking advice - 2008/06/24 11:28I agree with Marcus. I just moved form Hawaii to central Florida and have been bumming on the wave size and frequency. Hawaii south shore is a great place to learn with a-lot of rental and learn-to-surf stands, but the 12 hour flight is ruff and it is expensive to visit. Central Florida also offers its fair share of rental and learn-to-surf shops as well as a couple of learn-to-surf camps. I would recommend the Cocoa Beach area in fall/winter when the weather is cold, hockey is in the early season, and the swells are picking up. With the extra cash you save you can watch the games and throw back a couple cold ones in the late afternoon.

-Kewalos-Hey bradda howzit, give da houle da fist again! Some guys never learn what the island spirt is all about. I lived and learned to surf on Oahu (sand island) and as long as I showed respects never had a problem. This houle surfed all around the islands and shared the waves with some of the friendliest surfers around.